Russian Aluminium Tycoon

to Produce Bombardier Aircraft

Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, owner of the country’s largest aluminium producer Rusal, is in talks with Canadian aerospace company Bombardier to start building its passenger aircraft in Russia, the country’s two top business dailies reported.

Deripaska has agreed in principle with Bombardier to produce the 53-seat Q300 turboprop at a plant in Samara, 800 kilometres east of Moscow, the Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers reported, citing sources close to the deal.

On Russia’s minister for Economic Development and Trade German Gref told the Interfax news agency that agreement had been reached with a Western aircraft maker to move one of its factories to Russia, although he declined to name the company.

“We have agreed with the president of one of the largest companies to sell us a 53-seat aircraft model along with the factory, technology and plans,” Gref told the news agency. If the deal is signed it will be the first time a foreign-branded aircraft will be assembled in Russia, Kommersant said.

Around 20 Q300s were built at a plant on the outskirts of Toronto last year, the paper reported.